NDP continues to avoid transparency in government contracts

December 14, 2015

The Selinger NDP continues to show no willingness to move toward transparency in its awarding of public contracts, more than a year and a half after the Auditor General cited hundreds of millions of dollars in contracts that had not been tendered by this government.

“The Public Accounts Committee of the legislature is looking today at this NDP government’s continuing delays in implementing the Auditor General’s recommendations made 20 months ago,” said Cameron Friesen, Opposition finance critic. “The premier wants to hide the details of contracts awarded to NDP friends and donors, instead of standing up for the best interests of taxpayers.”

Last month, the Auditor General’s office found the Selinger NDP had failed to implement 68 per cent of its recommendations made in March 2014 to improve the transparency in the awarding of untendered contracts.

Further, the PC Caucus discovered this past summer that the NDP had broken a provincial law in failing to publicly report more than $9 million in untendered contracts for Tiger Dam flood-control barriers spanning several years.

“Manitobans deserve to know they’re getting the best value for their hard-earned tax dollars,” Friesen added. “Under the NDP, Manitobans are paying more and getting less as this premier hides the contracts awarded to NDP friends and donors. Manitoba families need to know their best interests are represented when government contracts are awarded.

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